MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian selectors have named a spin-heavy squad for the defending champions for the forthcoming Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka and India.
The 2021 tournament winners decided Thursday not to pick a left-arm paceman in the absence of the T20-retired Mitchell Starc. Cooper Connolly, who has not played in any of the Australians' past 12 T20 Internationals, was the surprise inclusion.
Starc has missed just one of the past six ICC’s T20 events but retired from the format at the international level late last year.
Australia opens the tournament on Feb. 11 against Ireland in Colombo then plays Zimbabwe in Colombo on Feb. 13, followed by matches in Kandy against Sri Lanka on Feb. 16 and Oman on Feb. 20.
A scan on Pat Cummins’ back later this month will determine whether he will play in the tournament. Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are both on the comeback trail from hamstring injuries.
ICC rules permit squad changes until Jan. 31.
Australia will play a three-match T20 series against Pakistan beginning later this month. Australia’s group-stage matches are all being played in Sri Lanka but the team will travel to India for at least some of their Super Eights games if they qualify.
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Australia's captain Pat Cummins speaks with media after Australia won the third Ashes cricket test against England in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Travis Head bats against England on Day 2 of their Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Macklin Celebrini, the 19-year-old star for the San Jose Sharks, is going to the Winter Olympics.
Celebrini was among 19 players named to Canada’s 25-player men’s hockey roster Wednesday ahead of the NHL’s return to the Olympics in Milan, Italy, in February.
Celebrini, who entered Wednesday's action third in league scoring behind fellow Canadians Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche, is one of six additions to the group that won the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last February. Other newcomers at forward: Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens, Bo Horvat of the New York Islanders and Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals.
Celebrini said he received the call from Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong early Wednesday, and the first thing he did was call his parents. He said it's an honor to represent Canada, regardless of the tournament.
“It’s all surreal," Celebrini said after posting a goal and an assist in the Sharks' 4-3 shootout win over Minnesota on Wednesday. "I’m just really excited and focused on how special it is to represent my country at the Olympics.
“When you think about representing Canada at the Olympics, you realize you’re one group representing the entire country. So many athletes work their whole lives for that chance, and it means something extra to be part of that.”
Celebrini said it was difficult to refocus on San Jose's game after getting the news about the spot on the Olympic team, but he realizes the work for success in Milan starts now.
“He (Armstrong) told me I was on the team and that he was excited for the group,” Celebrini said. “The work starts now, building chemistry and looking toward Milan.”
Canada, which plays its first game at the Olympics on Feb. 12 against Czechia, is keeping its 4 Nations defense corps intact, but is switching out two of the three goaltenders, with Washington’s Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings joining Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues. They replace Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal’s Sam Montembeault.
The 4 Nations forwards who did not make the Olympic team: Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers, Travis Konecny of the Philadelphia Flyers and Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes.
McDavid, MacKinnon, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Colorado defenseman Cale Makar, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point and Florida winger Sam Reinhart were named to the Olympic roster in June.
They will be joined by returning forwards Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay), Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay), Brad Marchand (Florida), Mitch Marner (Vegas) and Mark Stone (Vegas). The blue line led by Makar includes Drew Doughty (Los Angeles), Thomas Harley (Dallas), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg), Colton Parayko (St. Louis), Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia), Shea Theodore (Vegas) and Devon Toews (Colorado).
The 38-year-old Crosby and 36-year-old Doughty are the only players with past Olympic experience. At 37, Marchand knew this was his last shot.
“It’s literally what has been the driving force of my training and what I’ve been focused on for the last 12 years, ever since I got a taste of Olympic camp before (Sochi 2014)," said Marchand, a two-time Stanley Cup champion. “It’s been the thing that I wanted to accomplish most — to be part of that team.”
Some notable omissions include Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard, who is currently out with an upper-body injury, and Winnipeg forward Mark Scheifele. Washington defenseman Jakob Chychrun and New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer were also left out.
The NHL is returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of Jakob Chychrun’s first name.
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) carries the puck toward the Winnipeg Jets net during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)
San Jose Sharks' Macklin Celebrini (71) celebrates his goal against the Vancouver Canucks with his teammates during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)
